Marvel Studios ushers in the next chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the arrival of Secret Invasion on Disney Plus. Samuel L. Jackson returns to once again reprise his role as the MCU’s foremost spy, Nick Fury, and he’s bringing along a packed ensemble cast of renowned and award-winning actors to thwart the MCU’s biggest threat.
It’s been more than a minute since we’ve seen Fury back on screen, and back on Earth no less. But as he echoes in the trailer footage, fans shouldn’t expect any aid from the likes of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. “This war is one I have to fight — alone,” Fury notes.
With Nick Fury equipped to take on a central role in Marvel Studios’ latest series, we’re breaking down what you can expect from the man who helped spearhead the Avengers initiative.
Secret Invasion: What is Nick Fury’s role?
As Nick Fury returns to the MCU with the leading role in Secret Invasion, it’s been more than a minute since we’ve last seen him on Earth, and around any of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. As the former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury has since been in deep space aboard the S.W.O.R.D. space station following the events of Avengers: Endgame.
Despite playing a supporting role in 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, it was revealed in the post-credits scene that Fury was actually the Skrull Talos, in disguise all along.
While away from Earth, Nick Fury unearths a conspiracy for a group of shapeshifting Skrulls to infiltrate Earth in various positions of power around the world. With no Avengers in sight to assist him, Fury takes it upon himself to thwart the imminent threat and subsequently recruits Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) to assist him.
Seeing Fury in action is not an uncommon sight to Marvel fans, but Secret Invasion will take a more grounded approach to its plot while set against the backdrop of an espionage thriller. That means while fans are accustomed to seeing Fury collaborate with super-soldiers and web-slingers, this time, he’ll rely on the assistance of covert agents from both his present and past.
That opens the door for potential shady characters to reenter his life once more, heightening the chances that a potential double-cross could be at play or that someone with a personal agenda could exploit Fury. After all, the tagline for the comics run that inspired the series was, “Who do you trust?”
While Fury has typically played the role of a tactician in much of the Avengers films, Secret Invasion should allow him to be front and center in the action against the rogue Skrulls. Much like Iron Man or Captain America have led their respective supporting casts throughout the MCU saga, the Disney Plus series should give fans its first taste of Fury being the driving force while potentially tying his past to the present in a full-circle moment.